It’s allegedly spring. However, for every minute of sunshine, there seems to be an hour of rain and gloom. So while I’d love to wear lighter spring pieces, it’s time to bring on the layers.

Inside the reader mail bag there are questions about summer beauty, hiring a personal shopper, navigating a sudden breakouts, and more. Let’s dig in!

And just like that, it’s April. Summer is almost upon us, and the retailers are filled with linen wares. Now, you know that I am usually unwilling to wear linen to work due to the wrinkles. But in this post-pandemic world, perhaps my mind can change.

For eight years, I have worn the same workout shorts. Every year, an influencer tries to sell me new shorts. I order them. I try them on. They pale in comparison to the shorts I already own. I return them.

Have a big day ahead? Major hearing? Big trial? The presentation of your life? Gonna be at a conference with that ex? Whatever it happens to be, these are the fashion weapons that get me to the confidence level that I need to be at.

When I started this blog, influencers still re-wore clothes. There were no haul videos filled with the latest from Shein before it winds up in a beach in Ghana poisoning the planet. There were no sponsored campaigns delivering fresh wardrobes each month. The content machine doesn’t like reruns.

When I was young, my Mother used to bring me along when she would go shopping for fabric. As a result, I spent a lot of time, killing time, flipping through pattern books. So when I spotted this dress, I was instantly transported to the pattern table at a Jo-Ann Fabrics.

Before we start today’s reader questions, I wanted to take a moment to talk a bit about mental health. For those who experience mental health challenges — whether occasionally or frequently — talking about our struggles is a double-edged sword.

Sometimes, you just want to wear something pretty to the office. Something that makes you feel good. A dress that makes your whole day better. These are those dresses.